Bobby Baker’s Trip to New Orleans, Miami and Dallas in 1963

[John Simkin]

Bobby Baker was investigated by the Senate Rules Committee in 1963. Only two members of the committee took the investigation seriously: Carl Curtis and Hugh Scott. They were two of three Republicans on the committee (John Sherman Cooper seemed to take no interest in this story – interesting he was also appointed to the Warren Commission). The Democrats, B. Everett Jordan, Carl Hayden, Clairborne Pell, Joseph Clark, Howard Cannon and Robert C. Byrd, did what they could to cover up what was considered to be an attack on the integrity of Lyndon Johnson.

We now know from two sources, that most of the information on Baker came from John Williams, who was known as the “Conscience of the Senate”. We also know that Williams was getting most of his information from Robert Kennedy. It was clear that RFK was using the Bobby Baker scandal to get rid of LBJ as Vice President. Going by what Evelyn Lincoln had to say later, RFK had the support of JFK in this attempt to remove LBJ.

One story that Hugh Scott and Carl Curtis were very interested in was a visit Bobby Baker made to New Orleans, Miami and Dallas in May 1963. Scott claimed that Baker was accompanied by Paul Aguirre, Carole Tyler and Ellen Rometsch. Aguirre denied he had been with Baker when he went to Miami and Dallas. However, he told committee investigators that if he were “asked anything about what took place on the trip to New Orleans he would take all the amendments from 1 to 28.”

Does anyone know anything about Paul Aguirre? Does anybody know what Baker was doing in New Orleans, Miami and Dallas in May 1963?

[Ashton Gray]

One story that Hugh Scott and Carl Curtis were very interested in was a visit Bobby Baker made to New Orleans, Miami and Dallas in May 1963. Scott claimed that Baker was accompanied by Paul Aguirre, Carole Tyler and Ellen Rometsch. Aguirre denied he had been with Baker when he went to Miami and Dallas. However, he told committee investigators that if he were “asked anything about what took place on the trip to New Orleans he would take all the amendments from 1 to 28.”

Does anyone know anything about Paul Aguirre? Does anybody know what Baker was doing in New Orleans, Miami and Dallas in May 1963?

Do you have any specific dates on the trip, and a source for the information about the trip?

Ashton

[John Simkin]

One story that Hugh Scott and Carl Curtis were very interested in was a visit Bobby Baker made to New Orleans, Miami and Dallas in May 1963. Scott claimed that Baker was accompanied by Paul Aguirre, Carole Tyler and Ellen Rometsch. Aguirre denied he had been with Baker when he went to Miami and Dallas. However, he told committee investigators that if he were “asked anything about what took place on the trip to New Orleans he would take all the amendments from 1 to 28.”

Does anyone know anything about Paul Aguirre? Does anybody know what Baker was doing in New Orleans, Miami and Dallas in May 1963?

Do you have any specific dates on the trip, and a source for the information about the trip?

The information came from several sources. There is a detailed account by G. R. Schreiber in “The Bobby Baker Affair” (1964). Schreiber was the editor of Vend, the business magazine of the vending machine industry. It was Schreiber who first publicized the fact that Bobby Baker was involved in the Serv-U Corporation.

Another important source is Carl T. Curtis’ "Forty Years Against the Tide" (1986). Curtis, a member of the Senate Rules Committee, provides an insiders view of the scandal. Curtis points out that B. Everett Jordan, the chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, ensured that Paul Aguirre did not give evidence in 1963. Others he prevented them interviewing was Margaret Broome, Rein J. Vander Zee, Jessop McDonnell, Matthew McCloskey, Max Kampelman, Warren Neil, Charles Baker and Nick Popich.

Aguirre originally came from Puerto Rico and was probably linked to the Hampco scandal. Hampco was a company owned by Clint Murchinson. I imagine that it was Murchison who Baker visited when he went to Dallas after New Orleans. It is amazing that Murchinson was never called before the committee.

It is also likely that Baker went to New Orleans to meet Nick Popich (another man that Jordan refused to call before the committee). Popich was linked to underworld characters involved in the vending machine business. This includes Max Kampelman, Jack B. Cooper, Edward Levinson and Benjamin S. Siegelbaum, who were all involved in the Serv-U Corporation. As was Grant Stockdale via his front-man, Eugene Hancock. Stockdale was the man who on 26th November, flew to Washington and talked with Robert Kennedy and Edward Kennedy. Later, it was discovered that he had provided them with information on the assassination. On 2nd December, 1963 Stockdale fell (or was pushed) from his office on the thirteenth story of the Dupont Building in Miami.

In April 1963, Baker, Stockdale, Levinson and Cooper made a visit to Santo Domingo together. Here they had a meeting with Diego Bordas who had been a member of the group that joined with the CIA to overthrow Rafael Trujillo. Interestingly, several of these characters had a close relationship with Trujillo. Cooper for example, had been providing him with arms from Sweden.

[James Richards]

Does anyone know anything about Paul Aguirre? (John Simkin)

Aguirre was mixed up in the real estate business but described himself as a mortgage banker.

Nick Popich was definitely on the agenda for the trip to New Orleans but I believe another man was the primary reason. His name was Wilson Abraham. Abraham was a wealthy building contractor and owned a large hotel in Baton Rouge (the name escapes me for now). He was also well aquainted with Edward Grady Partin and Frank Ragano.

FWIW.

James

[John Dolva]

The amount is small, but nevertheless Mr and Mrs Will Abraham of Leland (near Baton Rouge) in mid September 63 contributes to the anti-civl rights legislation fund of the MSC.

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